Cryptic Studios Starts Advisory Board

Cryptic Studios (City of Heroes) has formed a new, five-person Board of Advisors with the purpose of assisting the company manage its expansion leadership position in the videogame industry.

"We are very fortunate to have such a high-caliber group of industry experts to advise Cryptic Studios as we continue our mission to deliver the best possible online gaming experience. The knowledge and relationships held by this group are extremely beneficial to the continued growth of our studio in the years ahead," said Michael Lewis, President of Cryptic Studios.

Jeff Braun, a 20-year veteran of the industry, co-founded Maxis with Will Wright and served as the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until the Electronic Arts acquisition in 1997. Braun currently serves as a consultant to a number of technology and entertainment companies.

Kevin Cloud worked with id Software founders Carmack and Romero while they all were employed by Softdisk, and left to join id in 1992. Cloud has worked his way up from an artist on DOOM and Quake to the positions of Co-Owner, artist and Executive Producer for the entire studio.

David Higley serves as the Managing Director and the Global Head of Digital Media at UBS Investment Bank and has worked with nearly every digital content company throughout his $20 billion plus financial transactions.

Ed Roffman held various positions in the financial division at Activision from 1979 to 1991, including Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. After leaving Activision, Roffman took the CFO and COO posts at Palladium Interactive, a PC gaming company, before selling it to The Learning Company.